Skip to main content

WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY REPORTS BEST-EVER STREAMING OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES WITH TRIPLE-DIGIT GROWTH AS AUDIENCES IN EUROPE EMBRACE INNOVATIVE VIEWING EXPERIENCE

23 February 2026

• Milano-Cortina 2026: number of viewers grew on both linear and streaming services vs Beijing 2022*
• Best-ever streaming Olympic Winter Games featuring 1000+ hours on HBO Max and discovery+ and popular new viewing features such as Olympics Multiview
• Social video views exceeded 4 billion (+580% vs Beijing 2022) on Eurosport (Europe) and TNT Sports (UK & Ireland) accounts

The return of the Olympic Winter Games to Europe combined with world-class sports production and a highly innovative streaming experience has driven significant growth in viewership and engagement across Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) services across Europe.

Highlights across the seventeen days of competition (6-22 February 2026), as well as two days prior to the Opening Ceremony featuring select sports events (4-5 February 2026), include:

Across streaming (HBO Max and discovery+):
The best streaming Olympic Winter Games ever on Warner Bros. Discovery services (vs Beijing 2022 and PyeongChang 2018).

o Triple-digit percentage growth in total hours viewed (+103% vs Beijing 2022) - including triple-digit growth in France, Germany, Italy (on HBO Max) and the UK (discovery+).
o Streaming across HBO Max and discovery+ saw three times more viewers (234%) vs Beijing 2022.
o As reported, total subscribers streaming Milano-Cortina 2026 content exceeded those that viewed the entire Beijing 2022 Games after only 3 days**
o Social video views on Eurosport (Europe) and TNT Sports (UK & Ireland) accounts exceeded 4 billion – all pointing viewers to the relevant streaming service.

Innovative streaming features helped maximise engagement and boost viewership. Available within the ultimate Olympics viewing experience on HBO Max and discovery+, including:
Presenting every event live – all 246 live sessions, peaking at 11 concurrent events, including 116 medal contests, 2,900 athletes competing across 19 days.
Approximately a third (32%) of users utilising Olympics Multiview. For the first time allowing streaming viewers to watch up to four Olympics events concurrently on a single screen with their choice of audio.
• Empowering users to navigate the concurrent live action through Gold Medal Alerts and Timeline Markers; offering Personalised Watch Lists that were utilised by the majority of users; allowing users to select from up to 21 commentary languages for their live coverage.

 
Commenting on Milano-Cortina 2026, Andrew Georgiou, President & Managing Director, WBD Sports Europe, said: “The success we witnessed in the opening days has translated into an outstanding Olympic Winter Games for Warner Bros. Discovery with substantial streaming viewership and engagement growth in addition to highly robust linear audiences.

“Watching the Olympic Games on HBO Max and discovery+ clearly resonated with audiences in the UK and Europe with three times as many people choosing to stream the Games with us compared to Beijing 2022. Viewers being able to curate their own Olympics, selecting from all 116 live events and using innovative features such as our one-screen Multiview, drove significant increases in time spent by fans watching on our streaming services. This Olympics has set an incredibly strong foundation as we look to Los Angeles 2028 and the Olympic Winter Games returning to Europe again for French Alps 2030.”

Across linear (Eurosport in Europe; TNT Sports in the U.K & Ireland)***:
Linear saw a +3% increase in viewers vs Beijing 2022, marking a reverse of declines in total TV consumption over this period and driving the bulk of overall live viewing.
More than 50% linear growth in hours viewed overall vs Beijing 2022 (+51%).

o Eurosport channels vs Beijing 2022:
France +47% in hours viewed
Germany +50% hours viewed
Poland +32% hours viewed

o TNT Sports channels (U.K & Ireland only) vs Beijing 2022:
UK & Ireland +60% hours viewed

WBD’s streaming platforms HBO Max (Europe) and discovery+ (UK)* were the only place to watch every event broadcast live, whilst its linear channels Eurosport (Europe) and TNT Sports (UK and Ireland) delivered comprehensive Games-time coverage to millions of fans. 

*Availability of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 across Europe on WBD’s channels and platforms:
• Eurosport: pan-European premium television coverage excluding the UK and Ireland
• TNT Sports: premium television coverage in the UK and Ireland
• HBO Max: streaming of every event broadcast live from the Winter Olympics in all plans in Europe. HBO Max recently launched in Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Israel, and Greece.
• discovery+: streaming of every event feed from the Winter Olympics in all plans in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Austria, Select plans in Norway and Sweden; and in Italy on the Sport tier only.
• Player.pl: streaming of every event feed broadcast on the International with ads tier in Poland All-platform comparisons vs Beijing 2022 and PyeongChang 2018 reflect changes in the new 2026-2032 rights cycle, such as the exclusion of free-to-air coverage in Finland, Norway and Sweden. Features Eurosport channels across Europe (see below) and WBD streaming services.

**6-8 February 2026; first 3 days of full competition.

***Linear TV audience are measured up to 18/02/2026 across the following territories: Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, U.K., Finland. Final and fully deduplicated total audience numbers for the whole Olympics period follow after the Games. 

Contacts

WBD Sports (Europe)

Contact us here.

Latest news

18/2/2026

LOONEY TUNES BRINGS COLOUR AND COLLECTABILITY TO MILANO CORTINA 2026

As Milano Cortina 2026 enters its final days, the Official Olympic Pin Trading Center is proving a hit with fans of the Looney Tunes and the Olympic Games.

12/2/2026

SCOTT SPORTS ANNOUNCED AS OFFICIAL PARTNER OF WHOOP UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD SERIES

The international sports brand signs a two-year deal as the Official Cross-country Bike Partner SCOTT Sports will also serve as the Event Presenting Partner for Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah (USA) and renew its support as local partner for Lenzerheide (Switzerland) 

11/2/2026

SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN WINTER OLYMPICS VIEWERSHIP ACROSS ALL WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY PLATFORMS

• Milano-Cortina 2026: viewership and engagement growth on Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming and pay-TV platforms in Europe vs Beijing 2022 • Best streaming Olympic Winter Games ever on Warner Bros. Discovery services (HBO Max and discovery+) vs Beijing 2022 and PyeongChang 2018 • Total streaming subscribers viewing the Games exceed the entire Beijing 2022 in just 3 days • Linear television viewing remains robust with strong linear growth in many of Europe’s biggest territories

08/2/2026

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WBD HOUSE AND THE SNOW DOME STUDIOS AT MILANO CORTINA 2026

On Friday, Warner Bros. Discovery unveiled the two incredible studios that will be used in both Cortina and Livigno as part of its coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

06/2/2026

GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES UNVEILS ITS 2026 CALENDAR

• The circuit will span three continents and eight countries from May to October, introducing three new venues and two unprecedented countries, while maintaining its presence at some of the most iconic races in the sport • The season will open at Zegama-Aizkorri (Spain) on May 17 and culminate with the Grand Finale at Muju Trail (South Korea) on October 24–25• The new season sets a new benchmark for elite trail running with increased prize money and major sporting innovations, including a revamped points system, the introduction of a team ranking and a strengthened integrity program

06/2/2026

MADE IN ITALY: WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY’S UNIQUE ALPINE STUDIOS SET TO DELIVER MAGICAL OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES COVERAGE FOR FANS ACROSS EUROPE

• Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) unveils its purpose-built studios in the heart of Olympic venues in Cortina and Livigno, Italy that will host live coverage of Milano Cortina 2026 • Immersive storytelling with a local flavour as Italian sets paired with state-of-the-art studios across Europe for Eurosport, TNT Sports, HBO Max and discovery+ viewers • WBD’s first live studio show will air on 6 February ahead of the Opening Ceremony

04/2/2026 - Last updated 5 February 2026

FINALE OUTDOOR REGION, LIGURIA TO HOST THE 2026 UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE ENDURO AND E-ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

From October 16 to 18, 2026, the “Home of enduro” will welcome the world’s best riders

02/2/2026

FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP REMAINS ON EUROSPORT AND TNT SPORTS THROUGH EXTENDED RIGHTS AGREEMENT

Every FIA World Endurance Championship race, including the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans, will be shown on Eurosport, TNT Sports, HBO Max and discovery+ for fans in Europe and India Renewed long-term partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe and FIA WEC extends the broadcaster’s association with world-class endurance motorsport beyond 20 years Trojan Paillot: “Motorsport is in our DNA and we are committed to connecting fans with the biggest races on the planet.”

29/1/2026

X PARTNERS WITH WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY TO AMPLIFY MILANO CORTINA 2026 BUZZ ACROSS EUROPE

Collaboration unites X's real-time sports conversations with Eurosport and TNT Sports' premium Olympic Winter Games coverage, unlocking access to 90 million fans and viral moments

28/1/2026

WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY AND TIKTOK SET TO BRING OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES CONTENT TO NEW AUDIENCES DURING MILANO CORTINA 2026

Unique vertical video content from Eurosport and TNT Sports will be hosted exclusively on TikTok throughout Milano Cortina 2026 New partnership will celebrate Olympic culture and connect millions of younger fans in Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the UK with the Games Collaboration forms part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s strategy to reach more fans than ever before during an Olympic Winter Games

28/1/2026

WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY BRINGS THE LOONEY TUNES TO THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES WITH LIVE MOMENTS, NEW COLLABORATIONS, PRODUCTS, AND ORIGINAL CONTENT

As the world turns its attention to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is once again bringing the Looney Tunes to the Olympic stage and kicking off the Games with a presence that spans live moments, product collections, collaborations, and original content. For nearly a century, sports have been woven into the very DNA of the Looney Tunes. From Bugs Bunny outsmarting foes on the basketball court to Wile E. Coyote engineering contraptions worthy of a high intensity training regimen, the characters have long used athletic moments as a backdrop for their signature humor and physical comedy. That legacy reached new heights with Space Jam, which cemented the Looney Tunes as cultural fixtures in the world of sports and continued in 2024 with the Olympic licensing collections that celebrated the characters and the Olympic values on a global stage. Their presence in 2026 is a continued evolution— combined with the Olympic Rings as well as messages promoting the power of sport to unite people and inspire new generations. Live Moments & On-Site Activations In Milan, the Looney Tunes will appear in fun, irreverent ways unique to the brand. Two major live moments anchor their presence: a hyper visual installation that playfully connects fans to the Olympic streaming experience on HBO Max, and the Official Olympic Pin Trading Center, redesigned with a Looney Tunes look and feel through a licensing collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery, Honav USA, and the IOC. The center will be open February 6–22 at Via Carlo de Cristoforis 1. Strategic Collaborations Strategic collaborations will also play a major role in the Looney Tunes cultural presence throughout the Games. Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP) will unveil a surprise Looney Tunes–inspired collaboration with Burton, the world’s leading snowboarding brand, with details to be revealed in early February. In addition, United Colors of Benetton, together with WBDGCP and the IOC, has launched an exclusive kids’ Olympic Collection capsule that merges the Looney Tunes spirit, Olympic values, and Benetton’s multicolored identity Broadcast & Streaming Integration The Looney Tunes Winter Olympics Games presence will also extend into broadcast and streaming through Eurosport and TNT Sports*, whose Olympics coverage will be available across WBD’s platforms in mainland Europe and the UK & Ireland, including HBO Max, as the service launches in Italy. The collaboration will include recurring content features such as “Looney Tunes: Sports Made Simple” and “Sports Talk with Bugs Bunny,” where Bugs Bunny appears as a guest interviewer during coverage. Daily Watch Party WBD will further spotlight the Looney Tunes during its daily Olympic Winter Games coverage with the Looney Tunes Watch Party, a character driven segment hosted by Bugs Bunny that highlights the day’s top moments with the franchise’s signature humor. Airing across linear and digital platforms, the Watch Party adds a playful, family friendly layer to the Olympic experience. Content Rollout Content throughout the Games will roll out across linear, digital, and on-the-ground channels. The Looney Tunes features will air across Eurosport and Cartoon Network, appear on screens at the Pin Trading Center and publish across digital platforms including Eurosport, The Looney Tunes, and WB Kids social and video channels. Content will be localized across multiple languages to reach audiences worldwide. *Availability of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 across Europe on WBD’s channels and platforms Eurosport: pan-European premium television coverage excluding the UK and Ireland TNT Sports: premium television coverage in the UK and Ireland. HBO Max: streaming of every event produced from the Winter Olympics in all plans in Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine. discovery+: streaming of every event feed from the Winter Olympics in all plans in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Austria, Select plans in Norway and Sweden; and in Italy on the Sport tier only. Poland: Streaming Eurosport 1 and 2 in Poland in the Live TV plan.

27/1/2026

MYWHOOSH SET TO POWER WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY’S CYCLING COVERAGE TO NEW HEIGHTS IN 2026

Innovative virtual training platform MyWhoosh becomes the lead sponsor of live cycling coverage on Eurosport, TNT Sports, HBO Max and discovery+*  MyWhoosh to feature around WBD’s coverage of the world’s greatest races  WBD and MyWhoosh will produce new content exploring technology in cycling

27/1/2026

MONSTER ENERGY ANNOUNCED AS MAIN PARTNER OF WHOOP UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD SERIES

The brand with the iconic green claw is confirmed as the Official Energy Drink partner

22/1/2026

WHOOP UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD SERIES TO RETURN TO MORILLON AND LES GETS FOR ROUNDS IN HAUTE-SAVOIE, FRANCE

Today, Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) Sports, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), and the French region of Haute-Savoie are pleased to confirm the two venues that will host the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series rounds from August 14 to 23.

22/1/2026

HEATED RIVALRY’S HUDSON WILLIAMS AND CONNOR STORRIE ANNOUNCED AS OLYMPIC TORCHBEARERS

HBO Max today announced that Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, stars of the Crave Original series HEATED RIVALRY, have been selected to take part in the Olympic Torch Relay as official torchbearers for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.